My Experience
In only
one word, I can describe my experience with AIU as ´exciting´. My learning experience with AIU is different
from any other learning I have had in my life. I have discovered new things
about my abilities that I never knew I had in my life! At AIU, I have been in control
of my learning pace and had to set my own convenient times to study and
complete my assignments. A combination of excitement, self-belief and discovery
has made my experience with AIU satisfying and memorable; I have to go for it
again!
Since I am
working full-time, I have found distance learning very suitable. I have been
able to work and keep earning a salary while also committing some time to my academic
and professional development. I have
managed to pay for my own education and not to depend on other people. I find
this very interesting because I carry my own dream and destiny and I am the
person to work it out; not any other person! I have gained excellent time
management skills during my studies with AIU because I had to find a healthy
balance between work, school and my family. This has compelled me to refine my
time management skills which I can now describe as excellent.
Distance
learning requires clear guidance from tutors and academic advisors. When I
first began my studies with AIU, I anticipated challenges. How wrong was I! I
found the guidance of my tutors and academic advisors very helpful. I quickly found
my way on the on-line virtual campus and I soon started feeling like I was
talking to my tutors and academic advisors face-to-face. Their prompt feedbacks
and communications have made it easy for me, guiding me step-by-step at each
stage of the studies.
I can not possibly
describe my experience with AIU completely without mentioning how helpful the Bachelors
Handbook was in my studies. I can describe it as a ´matchless´ guide to one’s
studies with the AIU. In my initial stages of studying with AIU, I soon
discovered that the Bachelors Handbook is a total guide to my whole studies
with the university. It’s such a wonderful guide, simply done and therefore
easy to follow. In the end, I considered it as a ´map´ for my studies as it
sequentially showed me how to get from one place to the other.
In Africa,
and particularly where I live, it is not easy to find the required books! Fortunately,
AIU has prepared some videoconferences for some books and I was able to do some
of my courses after listening to these videoconferences. It was such a fine
experience for me to listen to AIU staff give outlines of books that are
required for the completion of essays. The AIU library is well stocked with
necessary books, journals and articles that I found very helpful for the
completion of my academic requirements for the award of a bachelors degree.
Studying
while working helped me to apply my work experience in my studies and this has
worked very well for me! I have discovered that my vast experience can be translated
into academic and professional development.
People have a lot of experience in their work and this should make
further studies easy. Studying what one is familiar with is an excellent way to
develop one’s academic and professional performance. During my studies with
AIU, I found where my experience and my studies met and took advantage of that
to use my field experience to study. I soon discovered that what this meant is
that I was simply transforming my vast experience into academic qualifications
– It is as simple as that!
Studying
through distance learning has increased my self-determination. Now I know that
I can achieve whatever thing I dream for through determination and self
discipline. In distance learning, there is no lecture hall, no over-head
projectors, no tutorials and no physical library or laboratory. The physical
absence of all these develops a sense of research and discovery for students studying
by distance learning – and I have experienced this research and discovery sense
during my studies with AIU. It is a satisfying feeling, that I discovered
things I never knew on my own as I took significant steps to succeed and live
my dreams.
I found
the feeling of finding out things on my own the most rewarding. I can now
believe in myself that I can achieve whatever I aim for. The study program with
AIU is self-designed and this allows students to connect their studies to their
work experience. Creating my own curriculum also gave me an opportunity to
connect my studies to my cultural and national dynamics. Of course no one could do this better than me
because I understand the cultural dimensions of the area of my study.
With AIU,
you get to do things with determination. I have now discovered that willpower
sets you to a different level. AIU has developed the strength of my mind and is
now transforming my dreams into reality. Studying with AIU started like a
dream; I dreamed my whole life that I would one day study for a bachelor’s
degree for both academic and professional advancement. Now I will no longer
dream; I will live my dream!
I have
found paying my tuition fees through Western Union convenient. This is of
course not the only way to pay for tuition to AIU. There other options from
which an international student can choose from. I have observed that offering
the students a number of options works well because AIU has an international
body of students and convenience is certainly different from one part of the
world to the other.
